Jackson takes to the streets for second Women’s March

JACKSON HOLE, WY— Exactly a year since President Trump’s inauguration, and in the midst of a government shutdown, more than 400 people took to the streets around the Town Square for the second annual Women’s March.

The turnout was smaller than last year’s estimated 1,000, but the crowd was one of many across the country. This year’s focus was a little different, too. With midterm elections approaching this fall, many chose to emphasize the importance of voting and female leadership.

But ultimately, the march’s mission remained the same: to stand up for women’s rights and human rights. Last year, millions of people marched in more than 600 places around the world. This year’s global numbers are still being determined.

Fourteen-year-old Mary Muromcew donned a rainbow cape, a symbol for LGBTQ pride, at the second annual Women’s March

A year later, the question “why are you marching” felt harder to answer to Alexandra Nye. Last year’s mission was clear, she said: “to show that fear tactics won’t control our actions.”

This year’s mission felt harder to pin down. Nye said she has experienced “resistance fatigue” in the past year— there’s so much to stand up for, she says, and neither the time nor energy to do it all.

“One in three black men are imprisoned; only 18 percent of congress is female [actually closer to 20, according to the Center for American Women in Politics]; one in three women entering college will be raped,” Nye said.

Ultimately, Nye said she marched because it felt important to show solidarity with the community she grew up in.

“The resistance will never be convenient. But it’s necessary to show up in whatever way you can.” Marching was Nye’s most recent way of showing up.

Fourteen-year-old Mary Muromcew was more clear in her reasoning. She marched last year, too, as another show of solidarity. This year, she said, “it’s gotten more personal.”

“Trump has made a lot of promises to communities he didn’t keep. He promised to protect LGBTQ communities—he didn’t. And DACA recipients, immigrant communities,” Muromcew said.

It wasn’t all women at the Women’s March. Men marched, too (and plenty of dogs). Teton County Democrats Vice-chair Michael Yin said he felt welcome, and like the event was inclusive. “The focus should be primarily on women,” Yin said, but he felt it was important to “stand with women, for issues that affect women.”

In true Jackson style, many marchers brought their pups. This one rode on the back of a bicycle.